The Sapio System

The Sapio System is a roleplaying game ruleset that utilizes Spiral Dice. It is a lightweight, setting-agnostic, flexible framework for telling stories. The “Spiral” name reflects the mechanics embedded in the dice, which inject complications or drama into scenes as the characters move through the shared imaginative space.

Sapio leverages the dice to create a dynamic story from a few simple elements. Character descriptors are quick to craft and are the primary influence on how likely a character is to succeed at a given task. Actions taken by the characters are not confined to skill lists, so characters are free to “try anything” in response to challenges they may encounter. Finally, Action Sequences provide a cinematic framework for tense group moments like combat or chases, with constantly evolving action aided by the complications from rolling Spiral Dice.

The rules are 52 pages, with illustrations and examples. Included in the downloads are a character sheet and the digital "dice bag" that can be imported into the Roll My Dice app. If you would like to use the dice in a browser, you can roll them using the Togetherness Table or with Masukomi's Spiral Dice Roller.

If you want a quick and fun adventure to run with Sapio, try NYC&D.

Licensing: The licensing is open. You can't copy the art, but you can copy the rules word for word and make supplements to your heart's content. Bend it, break it, play with it, and let me know what you think of it. 

Physical Spiral Dice Sets: Use the Rewards below to purchase physical sets of Spiral Dice. Each set contains 7 dice of one color. Please ensure that you have entered your mailing address when prompted by itch.io. If there are any ordering issues, ask for help on the Spiral Dice discord server.